


Stop and hear the bees

by Lady_Firiel



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: I know I'm forgetting to tag something but i don't know what, M/M, Slow Burn, Smut, Spoilers for Season 4, everyone's here but they're only mentioned, slightly hurt/comfort I think, there's a lot of fluff because I am fluff trash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-21 19:51:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12464670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Firiel/pseuds/Lady_Firiel
Summary: Ever since he was a child Keith had always associated silence and quiet with safety.The safety of his father’s arms around his tiny little body when he was a toddler; the safety of the still air in foster houses when the yelling and the crying stopped; the safety of dreamless sleep that wouldn’t leave him screaming in fear and gasping for air as the aftermath of another nightmare shook his body.When little Keith learned that there was no sound in space he decided that there would be where he’ll go.(Or the one where Keith and Lance cuddle and talk.A lot)





	Stop and hear the bees

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone~!  
> I am shit with deadlines, really, so I'm honestly surprised I managed to finish this in time to post it today. I wanted to post something for Keith's birthday, you know. I worked on this the whole weekend, I _ignored people_ to write this.  
>  Anyway, I'd like to say I knew exactly what I was doing with this work but, honestly, I can't. I had a plan, but I couldn't stick to it.  
> So what was supposed to be some sort of... _character study_? Turned into a button of fluff. Really. I'm fluff trash.  
>  Just two things before I leave you to the story: one, there is smut at the end. Two, there is a very brief and not explicit description of a panic attack. It shouldn't be much but I'm warning you anyway. It starts at _"He sat on his bed, letting silence embrace him..."_ and ends at _"...then a voice, soft and gentle."_. You may skip it if it makes you uncomfortable or anything. I'm just being safe.  
>  I know I'm forgetting something but I can't think of what so, you know?  
> That's it, I'll let you read now~.
> 
> EDIT: I changed the dialogue format from «» to "", because I've been told it's easier to understand. I apologize, it's just that I'm used to this format in my native language, so it came natural to me. Thanks again to who mentioned this to me!  
> 

Ever since he was a child Keith had always associated silence and quiet with safety.

The safety of his father’s arms around his tiny little body when he was a toddler; the safety of the still air in foster houses when the yelling and the crying stopped; the safety of dreamless sleep that wouldn’t leave him screaming in fear and gasping for air as the aftermath of another nightmare shook his body.

When little Keith learned that there was no sound in space he decided that there would be where he’ll go; he often imagined himself drifting among stars and planets and satellites, screaming, crying, letting everything out of his system without having anybody judge him for it simply because _nobody would hear him_.

The idea of infinite silence filled his little heart with the hope of, one day, gaining that safety he’s felt missing since he lost his father.

He would go to space, little Keith decided, and be safe in the endless embrace of silence.

 

Things did not go according to little Keith’s plan.

When he _did_ get to space, reunited with the only person he considered family after spending a whole year thinking he’d lost them too, Keith soon realized that there were going to be neither silence nor safety.

He was chosen as the Red Paladin, the pilot of a giant sentient robot shaped like a _cat_ , right arm of the strongest weapon in the whole universe. He had become a _soldier_ in a war that had been going on for the last ten thousand years.

To top it all his companions, and one companion in particular, were anything but quiet.

The whole Castle of Lions, his, _their_ , new house light years from home, was always echoing with some sort of noise, be it the battle sounds from the training deck, the soft chatter from the lounge room, the squeak of Allura’s mice from the hallways or the vents, the faint sound of Pidge’s furious tyiping on the space equivalent of a laptop, the humming Hunk and Coran did while tinkering with kitchen suppies.  
If Keith had to point out the worst noise of all, though, it would be Lance’s obnoxious voice.

The Blue Paladin was a loud, nosy, flirty beign constantly picking on him for reason Keith had yet to understand completely, something about them being rivals back at the Garrison.

Keith did not remember him, he wasn’t lying when he said so the night they rescued Shiro. He was sure he’s remember someone like Lance.

Not for his lean frame nor his long, _long_ muscolar legs nor for his very, _very_ blue eyes.

No, Keith would remember his voice, always echoing through the castle walls. It really pissed him off.

With his dream of finding quiet and safety in space completely shattered, Keith had to learn how to adjust himself to the complete opposite of that. It wasn’t easy.

In almost desperate attempts to retrieve some sense of safety, Keith tried to close off, not joining the others in leisure activities nor chatting with them outside of training, battles and meals.

If you’re wondering if he ever felt lonely while doing so than yes, he did, but his need for safety was way stronger that his need for company.

He’s been lonely his whole life, he could cope with that; but he’s hardly been safe, you can’t really blame him for seeking that, especially in the middle of war.

He was doing fine, avoiding connections and relishing in the quietness of his room or of the training deck, where he could turn off everything and just _feel_.

That was until the explosion that almost killed Lance.

 

_“We had a bonding moment, I cradled you in my arms!”_

It was bad enough that Lance had almost died because of it all and Keith had to bring his unconscious body to the cryo-pods to be healed, but forgetting their bonding moment? _Really?_

Keith was pissed. The one time he actually gives up his loner attitude and that’s what he gets?

Yeah, cool, see if he’ll ever cradle you again. _Stupid Lance_.

(Keith knew those were lies, he would cradle Lance in his arms again and again, if just to hear his voice, for once soft and breathy, tell him that they _are a good team._ )

 

Being one fifth of the strongest weapon in the whole universe and actually _needing_ to have a mental and emotional link with the other four fifths kind of got in the way of Keith’s plan.

You can’t really avoid making connections when thousands of lives depended on it. He might be a loner but he wasn’t selfish.

So he started trying to _actually bond_ with his fellow paladins and comrades, only to find out it was easier than he’d expected: of course he already knew Shiro, so bonding with him wasn’t even a task, they kind of had a brotherly bond already anyway, and Hunk was kind of easy to like and get along with.

Pidge wasn’t a fan of human interaction herself, often preferring the company of tech to that of living beings, and Keith could relate to that; she was also a genius and the conversations he engaged in with her were never dull or boring.

Coran always had a story to tell and he knew a lot about space and alien cultures; as a space-nerd himself, Keith actually liked to listen to Coran’s weird stories. _From time to time_.

Then there was Allura, their gorgeous host and pilot of the castle; he didn’t really make a connection with her, but she had lost her family, _damn_ , she’d lost _her whole planet_ , he could relate to that, though on a much smaller scale, to the feeling of loneliness and abandonment she was probably concealing. Nevertheless she was demanding and brilliant and on the rare occurrence he actually talked to her he didn’t mind the effort spent into making connections.

And then, then there was Lance.

Lance was unlike anyone Keith had ever met.

At first he seemed like one of those selfish obnoxious kids who believe everything’s about them; but then he didn’t hesitate to shield Coran from that explosion, risking his own life without batting an eyelid and Keith started to question if there possibly wasn’t anything more to Lance’s character.

He could came up with good plans almost on the spot, like that one time on the Balmera, when he stopped Keith from going on a reckless rampage that would have hurt the being itself.

No matter what Keith would say to rile him up, Lance was also a good pilot and he had good control over his lion; Lance and Blue had a really strong bond, something Lance was very proud of.

So Keith started observing his fellow paladin, trying to understand the mystery that Lance was.

That made him notice a lot of small things: like how he often helped Coran clean the pods, subjecting himself to his long stories (and Keith loved Coran, he really did, but sometimes his stories were way too long), or how he would taste Hunk’s cooking, giving him his opinions on what was good and what could be better. He noticed how Lance was the one who got Pidge to sleep when she pulled to many all-nighters and how he had turned his flirting towards Allura into something playful that mostly made her roll her eyes with fondness.

He had turned himself into the comic relief only to give his team a relief of some sort, because they were fighting a war and there was only so much they could handle without relieving themselves.

Keith was intrigued by this character: he was deep and complex and so very hard to unravel because, as much as he actually talked, he never shared anything that went  beyond what could be seen.

Lance wore his heart on his sleeve, except that said sleeve was hidden under layers of jumpers and jackets sleeves and the Blue Paladin was not prone to shed those metaphorical clothes. Nor his physical ones, actually, for he could hardly be seen without his jacket.

Keith was stubborn, though, and the more Lance hid himself the more it made Keith want to understand him.

(The more he understood the more he felt himself fall in love)

 

Their first, proper heart to heart happened after a fight.

Keith had recently find out that he was part Galra, the race that was enslaving and exploiting the majority of the universe, and had yet to come to terms with this revelations himself.

Allura’s rejection and hate hadn’t made it any easier.

He was feeling like a monster, like a worthless being undeserving of trust and affection and the only thing he was seeking then was the safety of his quiet room.

Yet there he was, in the dining room with his fellow paladins, silently eating dinner and trying to tune out all the voices.

He could never tune out Lance’s, though.

In his peculiar emotional state Lance’s voice got on his nerves, to the point where even his mindless chatter made him snap.

“Do you ever stop talking” he hissed loudly, banging his fists on the table startling everyone into silence.

Lance turned to look at him, a flash of hurt briefly shadowing his eyes before it turned into anger.

“What the fuck is your problem, mullet” he said, ignoring Shiro’s outraged cry of _“Lance, language!”_.

“My problem is that you’re so goddamn loud _all the time_! God, I can’t even hear myself think!”

“Keith!”

“Oh, because you do actually think before acting? That’s new!” Lance retorted, once again ignoring Shiro.

“As if you’re any better! Does anything smart or actually useful ever come out your mouth?!”

“At least I can talk to people instead of closing off because I’m afraid of making connections!”

Keith knew he was right and that it was his fault that Lance was yelling harsh truths in his face, he fucking knew; didn’t mean it hurt less.

“At least I’m a good paladin instead of a jerk show-off who’s only good at running his mouth!”

“Keith!”

Shiro stood up, yelling and angrily slamming his hands on the table, effectively shutting him up.

Hunk was covering his gasping mouth with both hands and Pidge was looking at him, speechless, disappointment in her amber eyes. Coran’s lips were shut in a thin line and his eyebrows were furrowed.

Allura wasn’t even there.

Shiro was angry, his back straight and his arms firmly planted on the table.

Lance’s face, though. The moment Keith’s eyes landed on Lance’s face he felt as guilty as if he had kicked an abandoned puppy; that he himself had abandoned.

His big blue eyes, usually so soft and cheerful, where a shade darker because of anger and hurt, shining with tears he would rather die than shed in front of his team.

Keith knew he had to apologize, he _wanted_ to, but when he opened his mouth nothing came out and he sat there, looking like a dumb fish.

“Thank you for reminding me of how useful I am, _dropout_ ” Lance said.

His voice had been firm and calm, almost soft, but to Keith it felt worse than any yell could.

Before anyone could say anything the Blue Paladin stood up and left the dining room, claiming he was done with his food and he would retire early.

For the first time ever, Keith did not feel safe in the silence that surrounded him.

“Keith, that was too much! Friends do not snap like that at each other for no reason!”

Keith knew he should have shut up, he really, really knew. But he couldn’t, he’d shut up his whole life and right now he was angry and frustrated and lost and had no one to blame for it all if not fate.

“We’re not friends! Hell, after the whole thing with the Blade of Marmora we’re barely even teammates! I’m tired of playing buddies, we’re fighting a war not going on field trip!”

He’d stood up during his outburst, mimicking Shiro’s stance and slamming his own hands on the table. Silence followed his words.

“Keith-”

“Spare your concerns” he said, angrily “I’m out of here” and left the room.

He retired to his own room and locked the door. He shed his jacket and threw himself on his bed, hiding his face in his pillow to muffle a frustrated scream.

He had to apologize to Lance, sooner or later.

He had hit a sensitive point for his teammate, _his friend_ , undeserving of his hate.

It wasn’t Lance’s fault if he was part Galra; it wasn’t Lance’s fault if Allura hated him; it wasn’t Lance’s fault if he was feeling wrong and worthless.

He knew it was his own fault for snapping at him without a good reason, because he _knew_ that his reaction was caused by stress. It wasn’t fair to take it out on his friend, because they _were_ friends.

He sighed into his pillow and closed his eyes, trying to sleep. He’ll talk to Lance and apologize the following day.

 

For the two following days Keith avoided interactions with everyone on the ship.

He was dreading the lecture and the disappointment of his teammates, and he knew he’d have to apologize to everyone for saying they weren’t friends. Aside from Allura, no one had treated him differently after his discover, not even Coran, and none of them deserved his anger. Least of all Shiro.

He spent his days between the training room and his own room, avoiding everyone like the plague, seeking the safety of silence.

On the night of the second day he realized that the silence surrounding him in his room was anything but safe: it was making anxiety and fear boil in the pit of his stomach, a nervous chill shaking his bones.

He took a deep breath and then another, trying to calm himself. It didn’t work.

The quiet in the room was almost suffocating and Keith decided he’d had enough: getting up from his bed he left his room and went to knock on the door of the one next to his. Lance’s room.

“Yeah?” came the voice from inside and a small weight lifted off Keith’s chest. It was a _calming sound_.

“Lance it’s… It’s me… Keith”

“What do you want, mullet? Here to remind me again how useless I am?”

Keith cringed at the words, a grim reminder of how much he hurt his friend. He balled his fists for a moment, then took another deep breath and released them.

“No, I… I came to apologize”

The door slid open, revealing a Blue Paladin in way worse shape than he remembered: his eyes were dull and dark, with deep dark bags underneath; his hair was messy and the brown soft skin he took such great care of looked pale and rough, like he’d neglected his skincare routine.

“ _Apologize_ ” he hissed, angrily, like the mere notion of Keith apologizing was mocking him.

Keith gulped.

“Yeah, I… I said things I didn’t mean. I was angry and stressed and I… I took it out on you and that’s not fair. I’m sorry Lance, I didn’t mean to snap at you”

Lance’s blue eyes widened, surprised. He studied Keith’s face intently, looking for any sign of insincerity.

When he found none his look turned fond and he sighed.

“Want to come in?” he said, leaning on the doorframe.

Keith nodded and followed him inside his room, the door closing behind him.

Lance sat on the bed, looked at his fellow paladin and patted the mattress on his left. Keith obliged, sitting shyly and stiffly.

They sat in silence for a while and once again the stillness of the air around him was making him feel uneasy.

Then Lance sighed and started talking.

“Look, I’m going to be honest with you, what you said stung _bad_. I said some mean things too and for that I apologize. I’m sorry for saying that you’re bad at making connections, I mean, you’re not the best at it but you try” he said, a small smile curving his lips. “Also, I understand that you must be pretty stressed lately, hell, with the whole being part alien and Allura kinda hating you and everything… Yeah, I’d be stressed too. But, Keith, we’re your friends, we’re here for you. Don’t just bottle everything up only to blow up when it gets too much. It’s not healthy. Trust me, I know”

Keith smiled softly at him, eyes filled with affection and thankfulness.

“Thanks Lance. I know I said it already but I’m really sorry for what I said to you. I didn’t mean a thing of it”

“Well, can’t blame you if you did”

Keith’s eyes widened in horror and his hands hurriedly looked for Lance’s to hold them tightly.

“Don’t even think about it! No even for a second! Lance you’re not… You’re not useless!” he sounded almost desperate and the Blue Paladin gasped at the intensity of his voice and words. “I know you hate me because I’m a better pilot and soldier than you, but, Lance, those are worthless skills! Outside of war, what use do you have for a fighter? You are a good pilot, Lance, and a good soldier, but you are a perfect _human_. And that’s not a skill practice can give you, it’s innate, it’s just who you are. You always listen to everyone, you’re sensitive and caring and everyone on the team unconsciously relies on you. You play the part of the comic relief just to _give us_ some sort of relief, just to keep us sane. And it means a lot, Lance, a damn lot.  So don’t you ever think like you’re no good for this team because, damn, you’re the best thing we have”

Lance’s eyes were shining and his cheeks were slightly red, but he was smiling, soft and fond and thankful.

“You really mean that?”

Keith smiled back at him, squeezing his hands.

“Every word”

Lance laughed softly.

“Thank you Keith. It… It means a lot to me” he squeezed back. “Also I… You know I don’t hate you, right? That I was just jealous of you because you’re everything I’m not?”

“I’m nothing special, Lance. I told you, you have skills I could never even dream of having. You’re good with people. You were right about me, I’m afraid of making connections, because I don’t know how”

The hold on his hands tightened and Lance’s face turned serious.

“Keith, bonding with people it’s not exactly rocket science. Don’t you always say you have good instincts? _Trust them_. Look at you, _at us_ now: we’re having a deep, proper conversation while holding hands! I’d say you’re good enough” he said, smiling.

Keith blushed, because he realized it was true, they _were_ holding hands. His rational mind was screaming to let go, that it was weird, stop it Keith, but his instincts… His instincts were telling him that he could hold on a little longer, that he liked that and that Lance was fine with it.

So he held them a little longer, smiling gratefully at his friend.

After a few moments of silence, Lance spoke again.

“Well, look at us now, having a bonding moment. Do you want _me_ to cradle you in my arms, this time?” he said, laughing, tone playful. Keith snorted.

“I take back everything I said, you’re the worst. And I _knew_ you remembered our bonding moment!” he accused letting go of his hands, only to regret it a second later because now his own hands were _cold_.

The atmosphere around them had lightened, all the angst lifted from their hearts. They bickered playfully, shoving each other gently and laughing softly like the good friends they were.

Then Lance turned serious once again.

“Hey” he said, catching Keith’s attention. “You do know that you being part Galra changes nothing, right? That I still think of you as an insufferable mullet who hardly thinks before he acts?”

Keith stared into the blue of Lance’s eyes, deep and intense, and smiled again.

“I know. Thank you for reminding me, though” he said, making his friend smile back at him.

“Good. Now, if you don’t mind, I have some skincare to do. Being gorgeous does not come naturally to everyone” he said, standing up; Keith followed his example.

““Everyone”? You mean there’s someone else you think is gorgeous around here?” he said, playfully teasing him, expecting him to say “Allura” or “Shiro”.

“Duh, of course mullet! Don’t you ever look in a mirror? Honestly, it’s unfair how good you look with such unfashionable hair”

Keith blushed.

“What?”

“You know, now that I think about it you being part alien makes sense; I mean, your body _is_ out of this world”

“Oh my god Lance!”

“What?”

He must had realized what he said because he turned as red as the Red Lion and stared at Keith with his mouth open and his eyes wide.

Keith on his hand, as red as he was too, looked at Lance’s face and burst out laughing.

“Oh my god, that was a terrible line!”

That seemed to wake him from his shock, because he looked outraged when he said “I’ll have you know that was one of my best lines!”

Keith only laughed harder.

“If that was your best I can’t imagine the worst” he giggled.

“You wouldn’t know a good line if it smacked you in the face”

“Why don’t you try then?”

Oh, the sweet, sweet call of a challenge. Both knew very well how neither of them would back off from a challenge. And Lance didn’t.

He stared into Keith’s purplish eyes, serious, waiting for the right moment.

And then: “Are you the Sun? Because you light up my day” he said, softly and gently, right in his face, not looking away from his eyes.

Keith blushed.

“That, mm… That was… Good” he mumbled.

Lance grinned.

“See? I _am good_ ”

He smiled gently.

“You are. Sometimes”

Silence settled back between them, this time comfortable and nice.

“Well, I… I should go now. Thanks for the conversation Lance” Keith said after a while, breaking eye contact and going towards the door to leave the room.

“Oh, yeah, right. No problem buddy, we can do this anytime” Lance said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Goodnight Keith”

“Goodnight Lance”

 

The following day Keith apologized to everyone else and things went back to normal.

Eventually, Allura came around too and apologized for the way she treated _her friend_.

With peace back in their hearts Team Voltron got ready for the final battle against Zarkon.

They couldn’t have known what the outcome would be and how it’d affect them.

 

After finding the Black Lion empty and looking around for its paladin for a whole quintant everyone was tired and Allura, as pained as she was, decided that it was time to take a small break before starting searching again. Keith huffed, not happy, ready to keep going on his own but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

Lance was looking at him, eyes pained, silently asking him to rest.

He balled his fists and went to his room, too physically and emotionally tired and angry to even train.

He sat on his bed, letting silence embrace him in hope he would calm him; he should’ve know it wasn’t going to work.

The same silence that once brought him peace of mind was now rising anxiety and fear in his stomach, suffocating him with the heavy knowledge that he was losing Shiro for a second time.

He was gasping in panic, breathing getting harder by the second, while the stillness of his room gently coaxed monsters and demons from his mind, making them paw at him in a mocking way.

Right when he thought he couldn’t handle anymore a knock on his door shook him; then a voice, soft and gentle.

“Keith? Are you there? Can I come in?”

_Lance_.

Keith tried to calm his breath enough to answer him; Lance came in, ready to ask how he was feeling, but one look at his body, curled on itself on the bed, and no questions were necessary: he rushed to his side, sitting next to him, and gently caressed his back, softly telling him to breath with him.

Keith listened, closing his eyes and breathing in time with Lance’s instructions, finding comfort in both his voice and his touch, firm and warm on his back.

Lance’s voice seemed to chase away every monster and demon like the first ray of sunshine at daylight after a long, long night.

Keith uncurled himself and let his head fall tiredly on Lance’s chest, right on his heart. His breathing was back to normal and he wasn’t shaking anymore. He was just tired.

Lance’s hand on his back circled his shoulders, holding him closer, gently stroking his upper arm.

“Feel better know?” he asked, softly.

“Yeah. Thanks”

“No problem buddy”

They stayed like that for a while, neither saying anything. Keith listened to Lance’s heartbeat and for once found safety in a noise: Lance’s heartbeat, his voice, his breathing, everything was making a sound and yet Keith had never felt safer in his entire life.

Lance was the sound of _life_ and it spoke of joy, of love, of care and safety.

He could get used to it, to find safety in the sound.

 

Adapting to his new role of leader and pilot of the Black Lion was hard but Lance was ready to support him, calling out to him on his mistakes and never sugar coating his failures.

He was immensely grateful for that. He was glad Red choose him as her temporary new pilot while he worked with Black.

Lance became his right-hand man in and off battles.

They planned together, trained together, fought together and most of all _talked together_.

After the _bonding moment where Lance cradled Keith in his arms_ , better known as Lance helping Keith through a panic attack, they got closer and started spending more time together, whether in the lounge, at the pool or on the observation deck looking at stars and asteroids and nebulae and planets passing by.

Then one night Keith had a nightmare and decided to seek the comfort of Lance’s presence: he knocked on his door, breathing hard, and the Blue Paladin opened up, rubbing his eyes.

“Keith? What’s wrong buddy, you ok?” he mumbled.

“Yeah, I just… I mean, no, I...” he took a deep breath and started again. “Look, I… I had a nightmare. Could I, you know? Sleep with you?” he finally asked, blushing.

Lance smiled fondly, probably remembering his siblings or nephews and nieces and how they’d sleep together when someone had a bad dream.

“Sure thing buddy. Come in” he said, moving to the side to let him in.

Keith entered the room and went towards the bed, only stopping to turn around to look for Lance’s confirmation that _it was ok_.

“Dude, you’re not going to sleep in _my_ bed with those clothes” Lance said, though, eying him.

“What’s wrong with my clothes?”

“Those are you _day_ clothes! There is a thing called _nightwear_ and it exists for a reason. Listen” he said then, sighing in exasperation “Just take ‘em off. I’ll lend you a t-shirt, ok?”

Without waiting for an answer he went to the closet and started rummaging for a shirt.

“Here” he said after a while, throwing him a big black t-shirt with “too cute to be straight” written on it in bold white. Keith raised an eyebrow.

“Seriously?” he said, smiling.

“Look, I found it at the space mall, I thought it was funny. Because, you know, it’s true”

“I don’t know about being straight, but you’re definitely not cute” he said, playfully.

“I am wounded! I am both not straight and very cute! Indeed, too cute to be straight, it would be a waste of such a beauty”

Keith snorted.

“What does that make you, then? Besides a narcissist, that is”

“I am a proud bisexual, mullet man. I am one for equality, everyone should have a chance with Lancey Lance” he smirked, making finger guns in his direction.

Unable to hold back anymore Keith burst out laughing.

“Of course you are, I don’t know what I was expecting” he wiped a tear from his eye, laugh reduced to a giggle. “I am not straight either, by the way. I’m totally gay” he added, smiling.

Lance smiled back.

“Good, so the statement on the shirt applies to you too”

Keith almost chocked on his own spit and blushed madly.

“I… I’m going to change then” he stuttered, heading to the bathroom.

“Oh, yeah, right. Go on”

Keith run to the bathroom, heart hammering like crazy against his ribcage. He changed slowly, not eager to go back, and neatly folded his clothes to waste more time.

When he went back, only wearing his boxers and Lance’s way too big shirt, his host was back in his bed, under the covers.

“Which side do you prefer? Wall or…”

“I don’t mind. I usually sleep towards the wall but it’s fine either way”

“I don’t mind either. Here, just climb over me and settle yourself”

He must have been quite sleepy to do just that, because Keith actually _did_ climb over Lance to lie between his warm body and the wall.

He settled under the cover and then Lance spread his arms in a clear invitation. It didn’t take him long to accept it and snuggle close to Lance’s side, nuzzling his face against his collarbone. The Blue Paladin wrapped an arm around him with a contented sigh while Keith threw his arm over his bedmate’s torso, effectively hugging him.

Lance’s other hand found the one on his hip and held it, gently stroking the knuckles.

“You want to talk about your nightmare?” he asked, barely a whisper.

Keith moaned, snuggling closer.

“Not now, please”

“Ok. We’ll talk later”

Shortly after they fell asleep.

(They did not talk about Keith’s nightmare. It wasn’t necessary anymore)

 

After that one night they silently agreed to sleep together every night.

Keith would bring some clothes, toothbrush, towels and hairbrush to Lance’s room and then leave them there.

He would use Lance’s bathroom without asking, not just washing his face or hit teeth but also showering there.

At night they would climb together on the bed and snuggle in the same position, with Keith curled against Lance’s side, secure between his body and the wall.

And they would talk, softly, for who knows how long into the night setting of the castle.

Even after they found Shiro they kept spending the night together, cuddling and talking.

Lance would talk about his family, about Varadero Beach, garlic knots and his mom’s hugs.

“My mom’s hugs are the best in the world, trust me” he said.

Keith chuckled.

“If they’re anything like yours I believe you”

“Oh, they’re like a thousand times better! I’ll have you try one of them when we get back”

Keith froze for a second, then raised on his forearm to look down at Lance’s soft, fond blue eyes.

“You want me to try your mother’s hugs?”

“Sure, why not? Look, I know you don’t really have someone waiting for you back on Earth, so I though… My family is kinda big, you know? I don’t mind sharing with you” he said, smiling.

Keith blushed, speechless.

“You’d share your family… With me?” he asked, barely a whisper, afraid if he said it too loudly Lance would change his mind.

But Lance kept smiling, raising a hand to brush some of Keith’s dark bangs from his eyes. “Sure” he said then, hand on his cheek, fingertips playing with the ends of his hair.

Keith smiled back at him.

“That almost sounded like a proposal, you know?”

Lance chuckled.

“Oh, it wasn’t. If I were proposing there would be a ring involved. And you’d be crying because it would be the most romantic thing in the entire universe and you’d be overwhelmed by my love. Trust me” he said.

Keith chuckled as well.

“Sounds like you have it all planned”

“Not _all_ , I mean, I still have some details to work on. But I have a pretty good idea of it, yes”

“And what makes you think I’d say yes?”

Lance’s smile turned even softer as his thumb caressed Keith’s cheekbone, right under his eye.

“I have a feeling”

Keith snorted.

““A feeling”?You have a feeling I’d say yes to your proposal?”

“I mean, why wouldn’t you”

Keith chuckled, lying back on the mattress and nuzzling Lance’s collar.

“Maybe you’re right”

“ _Maybe_?”

“Maybe. You’ll have to ask me for real to know”

Keith heard Lance’s soft chuckle vibrate through his chest.

“Maybe one day, mullet man. Maybe one day”

 

The thing about them was that they weren’t _actually_ in a relationship.

Sure, they spent almost all their time together, slept in the same bed _cuddling_ and Lance hadn’t been flirting with anyone ever since their _agreement_ , but they _weren’t_ in a relationship.

The answer to the question “Are Lance and Keith together?” varied based on who you asked the question to.

If you asked Hunk, he would shrug and tell you that “They’re working on it”.

If you asked Pidge, she would scoff and tell you that “Those idiots are basically together already, they just need to make it official”.

If you asked Shiro, he would say that “They look happy, so long as it doesn’t affect Voltron everything’s fine”.

If you asked Allura, she would squeal and excitedly tell you that “They make a great couple, can’t wait to have them realize it”.

If you asked Coran, he would twirl his orange moustache and say that “Lance and Keith make a very interesting couple, much like those classmates, back in the days, that always stuck together-” and that would be your cue to leave, unless you wanted to hear a very, _very_ long story probably not even _that_ relevant to your original question. Coran really liked telling stories.

If you asked Lance and Keith, though, they would look at each other and then laugh at you, saying that “No way we’re in a relationship, we’re just good friends!”. If you paid close attention you’d notice that they’d be very, very flustered while giving you their answer.

The thing was that, even though they _weren’t_ in relationship, their dynamic was that of a very balanced couple.

Not just on the battlefield, where their weapons and their styles of combat complemented one another, or when they formed Voltron, when Keith made a wrong call in the heat of battle and Lance called him out on it and made him right the wrong.

They often shared food, both on the castle and at the occasional receptions; during said events they often run off together, giggling like a pair of schoolgirls sharing secrets.

Last time Team Voltron attended a ball Pidge managed to get a video of Lance graciously twirling a giggling Keith around the dance floor, no trace of embarrassment on their faces or in their body language, perfectly at ease in each other’s personal space, like it was no big deal.

(Pidge would make the joke about being a fan of space, both outer and personal, because, hello? Mr. Loner Keith being all comfy with Mr. Shameless Lance in his personal space? It _was_ a big deal)

 

(Keith remembered that night, when they danced together, high on the excitement of a free night; he remembered Lance’s warm hand on the small of his back, pushing their bodies together, and the playful mirth in his blue eyes as he lead him around like he knew what he was doing. And he _knew_ what he was doing. When Keith had asked Lance’s answer had been “Shut up and trust me”, so he smiled, remembering when their roles had been reversed, and let himself be led around. He remembered being close to Lance, not as close as when they cuddled on the bed, but dancing like that had felt ten times more intimate. He was floating around, lost at the ocean, and Lance was his savior. He had clung tightly on his shoulder and let himself go)

 

After Shiro had come back and after Lance confronted him with his fear of being the unneeded paladin, Keith started feeling a shift in his life and in his place in the Voltron Team.

“I’m not meant to pilot the Black Lion, Lance” he told him one night, playing with the other’s fingers, entwined on his chest.

“Keith, didn’t we talk about this already? You’re not Shiro and no one is expecting you to be. Honestly, I would never cuddle like this with him” Keith chuckled. “This is temporary, Shiro and Black will connect again and things will go back to how they used to be. And if they don’t? Then it’s fine, I trust you as our leader, Keith. I’ll always follow you”

“But what _if_ ” Keith said “What if there was something else I could do. Like, help in a different way? Coran isn’t a paladin but we would never survive without him. Maybe there is something like that that I can do…”

“Keith” Lance said, voice serious, and the Red Paladin looked up to meet the blue of his companion’s eyes. “Keith, what’s making you feel like that? Is it- is it something we’re doing? Is anyone on the team making you feel left out of something? Is it… Is it _me_?”

“Oh god, Lance, no! No one is making me feel like this, lest of all you! You, you mean so much to me, Lance. You’ve been, you’ve been my saving grace when I felt lost. You’ve been there for me through it all, even when I didn’t want anyone around. My god, Lance, you… There’s something I’ve never told you, wanna hear it?”

Lance nodded.

“When I was a child, I always associated silence with safety. You know, my father’s arms around me, or the quiet after my foster parents had stopped yelling, the silence of the hiding place where bullies couldn’t find me, things like that. When I learned that sound does not propagate across the void in space, with the naiveté of a young kid I pictured this silent, endless space where I would be safe. Safe in the endless embrace of silence. No screaming, no yelling, no crying.

“So I decided that I’d be going to space. I started learning everything I could about stars, planets, galaxies and everything; about aliens, and space travels and the physics behind it all. I met Shiro. He introduced me to the Garrison and I knew I’d have to get there to go to space. Then things didn’t go according to plan, you know how it was. In the end I got to space and it was nothing like I had imagined.

“I was in the middle of a war, on the frontline as a soldier, piloting a giant robotic _cat_ which is one fifth of the universe strongest weapon. It was _far from safe_. And there were you guys, always talking, doing something, always making some sort of noise and I just… I didn’t like it. The reality had shattered all my dreams and I was feeling lost. That’s why I always avoided you guys and spent the majority of my time alone: I was seeking the safety of silence.

“The day I snapped at you for being loud? That was the day I had to face the fact I couldn’t live in the silence anymore. The silence in the room after you left, it was the heaviest silence I’ve ever witnessed. I couldn’t breathe and I was _scared_. Everything was crumbling down on me, my heritage, my beliefs, my dreams… I was lost. Then I talked to you, and I started seeing a light.

“The day we lost Shiro? When you came to find me and helped me through a panic attack? That day I understood that silence wasn’t good for me anymore. The sound of your voice, your heartbeat, your breath, every single noise you were making was making me feel _safe_ , safer than I’ve ever felt before. That’s… That’s why I kept coming to you: when I was scared, overwhelmed and lost, you made me feel safe and helped me find my way. You did so much for me, Lance, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you… “ he finished, eyes shining and lips pulled in a fond smile. His hand has left Lance’s chest to cradle gently his cheek, softly stroking it with his thumb.

Lance was speechless.

“Keith, I-”

“You don’t have to say anything, Lance. What I’m feeling right now, it has nothing to do with anyone but me. I’ll get through it, I promise, just give me time”

“Keith” Lance whispered, holding the hand on his cheek and pressing a feather-like kiss on the wrist “We’re a team. And when I say _we_ I mean you and me. You told me how much I did for you but do you know what you did for me? You’ve been there through all of my homesickness, through my insecurities and fears. You’ve been my support just as much as I’ve been yours. We’re in this _together_ , Keith. _We are a good team_ ”

“Lance…”

“Take your time, ok? I’m not pushing you. Take however long you need. But when you’re ready, please, will you talk to me?”

Keith smiled, settling back on Lance’s shoulder, placing their entwined hands in his chest.

“I promise”

 

When Keith began his training with the Blade of Marmora he felt like his life had found a purpose.

He was doing something helpful and at the same time learning something about his origins, about what his mother might’ve been.

(At lest he hoped so. The knife she’d left him had the symbol of the Marmora, she should’ve been one of them. Right?)

More often than not he left his fellow paladins to work for the coalition while he helped the Blade gathering intel.

Shiro had comforted him about his absence more than once, saying that Voltron needed his leader. Keith had asked him to try and bond again with the Black Lion, for he was not meant to be a leader. They argued about it but never reached a conclusion.

At night, tired and a bit angry at both Shiro and himself, Keith would stumble into Lance’s room, into said boy’s open arms, resting his head on his shoulder while the arms wrapped lovingly around him.

“Welcome home” Lance would say, softly, resting his cheek on the top of Keith’s head.

Keith would not answer, sighing contentedly against Lance’s neck, hugging him back tightly.

Lance would understand, though, and they would disentangle, wash up and get ready to bed, where they would cuddle and fall asleep.

 

The decision to join the Blade of Marmora for a mission that would keep him away from Voltron for more than a quintant or two was not one he made without thinking.

He’d been wanting to do so for a while and Shiro’s reconnection with the Black Lion had given him the perfect chance.

He wanted to talk to Lance first, to explain to him why he was leaving, but he didn’t get a chance.

When he came back everyone had been waiting for him, disappointed that he had missed another mission.

He told them how he wasn’t meant to be their leader and how he’d decided to join a mission with the Blade.

No one was happy about him leaving, but they supported him nevertheless. They had a group hug and Keith really felt part of their space family for the first time.

Their goodbye had been tearful, but nothing unbearable.

Until Lance knocked on his door, later, while he was packing some of his stuff.

“Hey there” he said, awkwardly. Keith smiled sadly at him.

“Hi”

Lance rubbed the back of his neck, looking at everything but Keith.

“So, mm, you’re really leaving mm?”

Keith sighed.

“Lance, I wanted to tell you but I didn’t get a chance. I… I know this may be hard to understand and accept but I need to do this. For myself”

His purplish eyes were already shining; he didn’t want to cry.

“I understand. I mean, no, I don’t, honestly, but I’m trying Keith. I really am. I know what I’m saying when I say that Voltron needs you. Always did and always will. Most of all, _I_ need you. And I do know that you need me too, somehow. So no, I can’t say I understand why you’re leaving. That said” he added, looking into Keith’s eyes, his own blue ones shining as well “I will still support you. If you think this is something that’ll help you feel better with yourself? Then do it. If you think this is what you need to do to be happy than go for it. Remember when I told you to trust your instincts? Yeah, I stand by that statement. You should know better than anyone what’s good for you, mullet man” he concluded with a smile.

Keith was starting to tear up and nope, not happening.

“Thank you Lance. Seriously, you’re just so… I don’t even know what to say”

“Then don’t. I know”

Keith smiled.

“I still have some stuff in your room”

“Yeah, about that… I’m keeping it”

“What? Why?”

“As a guarantee. You want your stuff back? Then _come get it_. I’ll be waiting”

That was it, Keith was done: the first tears started flowing on his pale cheeks, a knot of sadness blocking his throat.

He tried to smile among the tears, wiping them with the back of his hand.

“I told myself I wouldn’t cry” he mumbled, mostly to himself.

Then Lance’s arms were around him, one hand on his back, the other in his hair, gently pressing his face against the crook of his neck. Keith’s arms sneaked around his friend’s waist and gripped the back of his paladin suit.

“I’m gonna miss you, buddy” Lance whispered in his ear, still holding him tightly.

“I’m gonna miss you too”

“You have to come back, Keith. You have to. Promise me”

“I-”

“ _Promise me_ , Keith. Promise me you’ll come back home”

_Home_.

“I promise Lance” he said, letting his tears wet the other’s shoulder. “I’ll come back home. I’ll come back to you”

 

Working with the Blade of Marmora was tiring but somehow fulfilling.

The training was harsh and brutal and usually left him tired and with muscles sore in a sort of good way.

He didn’t share the fundamental idea that the mission came before everything, even one’s safety, but he _had_ been a paladin for quite some time, saving lives was part of him.

He’d get around though.

Over all he was feeling good: the fighting, the sneaking in to gather intel, the secret missions, it was exciting and it made him feel useful.

He didn’t have to lead anyone or to save lives and his only responsibilities were the mission and his own life.

It was good, so damn good.

That wasn’t to say that his times with Voltron hadn’t been good, you know. But right then? Right then he needed to find a place for himself, and Voltron wasn’t feeling like home anymore.

He got along with his fellow Blades just fine, but none of them was overly enthusiastic at the idea of mindless chatter and sharing confidences like friends on a sleepover.

Keith remembered a time when he was like that.

Then along came Lance, who never stopped talking; he somehow managed to turn Keith into a talker himself.

Of course he wouldn’t just talk with anyone who crossed his path, but Lance had showed him that he wasn’t _that_ bad at making connections with others.

The silence that usually filled the base of the Blade didn’t make him feel uneasy like the silence back on the castle, where he always felt some sort of heavy air of responsibility pressing on his chest and squeezing his lungs.

It was a neutral kind of quiet, not unnerving but not calming either. It was just quiet.

Keith wouldn’t consider his fellow Blades _friends_ , not even Kolivan, who was likely the one he interacted most with. Even though he got along with the others he didn’t exactly _feel_ a bond. Not like the one he’d felt with Team Voltron.

Not just with his old pal Shiro, or with Lance, with whom he’d shared secrets and feelings and _a bed_ , but with Hunk, who claimed that “Galra Keith was funnier than regular Keith”; with Pidge, who recently reunited with her brother Matt, who had proven to be one of the smartest and bravest people he knew; with Allura, who’d been a fellow paladin, and in her own struggle to learn how to pilot a lion had showed him, and everyone else, a bit of her insecurities and fears, only to pull through stronger than ever before; and then Coran, Coran who’d been like a loving, supporting uncle for them all, taking care of everything and everyone as best as he could without complaining.

God, he missed them.

When the equivalent of night came and Keith was alone in his room at the base he dwelled on his feelings, thinking of all the choices he made and where they’d brought him.

If he had to be honest, the wasn’t much he actually regretted.

When his thoughts turned quiet and suddenly the silence in the room would suffocate him with a burning loneliness, Keith would think of Lance and of how they used to sleep together every night, with their legs tangled and their hands entwined.

Alone in his bed, Keith missed Lance’s warmth deeply; not just the warmth of his skin, also the one of his character.

Alone in the deafening silence, Keith missed all the little noises from the castle, from the background hum of the engines to Hunk’s loud snores during movie nights.

Most of all, he missed the faint sound of Lance’s heartbeat under his ear, the slow rise and fall of his chest against Keith’s when he breathed; and his voice, oh, his tender, _loud_ , loving voice, softly whispering in his ear that everything would be alright, in the end.

He really loved Lance.

He wished he’d told him before leaving. And yet he had a feeling Lance knew.

He also had a feeling he felt the same.

The soft touches, the cuddles, the smiles, the loving light in his eyes when they looked at each other.

The hugs, the “Welcome home” he’d whispered every time he came back from a mission.

The promise to come back. _Home_.

Keith wasn’t good at reading signs, not when it came to people and feelings, but he had good instincts, Lance himself had said so, and he _trusted them_. And his instincts were screaming _love_.

He loved Lance. And he was fairly certain Lance loved him too.

 

Their mission had gone well, the cannon was fired at the right moment and everything had gone according to plan.

Except for Haggar’s ship appearing and her magic messing with the planet, turning it into a giant time bomb.

The coalition had fired at the ship shield to take it down, but none of their weapon did the trick.

Voltron had made it and it was on the way to safety, but if nobody destroyed the ship hundreds if not thousands of lives would be lost.

Keith didn’t think twice.

Tuning off Matt’s voice telling him to stop, he thrust his own ship against the shield at full speed, hoping the impact would blow it.

While he gripped tightly on the controls, eyes squeeze shut, his thoughts went to Lance, and how he wouldn’t be able to fulfill his promise to come back.

_I’m sorry Lance_ he thought, sadly, the memory of his big, bright blue eyes vivid like a daydream.

Then a ship, coming out of seemingly nowhere, shot Haggar’s ship, stopping the ritual and saving everyone’s life, including Keith’s.

Bless his fast reflex, for as soon as Keith noticed the shot he managed to change his course, effectively avoiding colliding with the shield.

He heard screams and cheers through the comms, everyone happy to be alive. He could hear Shiro’s voice, in the background, asking if everyone was ok.

Then a new voice, annoyingly familiar: Lotor’s.

The ship that saved them? It had been Lotor’s.

Apparently, now that his father had awoken and took back the throne, he was on the Empire black list; he was offering to help the Voltron Coalition take him down for good.

Keith wanted to be there, on the castle, to hug everyone and be on the frontline if Lotor tried anything funny with his family.

But he diligently went back to the base, ready to be scolded by Kolivan for his reckless actions.

None of it happened.

When he arrived, nobody said anything but a small greet; some sighed with relief, but nothing more.

Kolivan gave him a pat on his shoulder, his way of saying “Good job staying alive” and Keith gave him a small smile.

The silence around the base after everything that happened was finally too much for Keith.

He needed the safety of his noises back.

He needed to go home.

“Kolivan” he called for the leader who turned to look at him.

“What is it?”

“I think… I think I need to go back. To the castle, I mean. To my team”

Kolivan didn’t say anything, looking at him.

“The mission is done and everything’s good and I just… I just need to go back. I miss them”

Keith was looking at the ground, so the strong hand on his shoulder startled him. He looked up, staring at Kolivan’s serious face.

“Keith, you’ve been a great asset to us. You have great skills and a good mind, but we knew this was only temporary. You’ll always have a place among the Blade of Marmora, if you’d want. But your place is with Voltron. You are a paladin, Keith, you’ve always been that”

Keith smiled, thankful.

“Thank you Kolivan”

He nodded.

“Go get your things, young paladin. You’re going back”

 

Keith had asked Kolivan to tell Team Voltron he was coming back.

He had packed his things, gave a brief goodbye to everyone, solemnly shook hands with Kolivan, thanking him for everything he’d done, and went on his way.

As he flied his ship through space towards the castle, Keith couldn’t wait to see his friends, _his family_ once again. He couldn’t wait for Hunk’s cooking and Coran’s stories, for Pidge’s nerdy chatter and Allura’s stern but fond look, for Shiro’s comforting presence and _Lance_.

Oh, he couldn’t wait to see Lance again.

When he arrived at the castle and parked his ship in the hangar, as soon as he came out he felt a loud, loving purr in the back of his mind.

_Red?_

The purr got louder and in his heart Keith _knew_ it was her.

He sent her some of his affection back and then she told him something, in that weird way the lions had to speak through emotions and stuff he would never really understand.

_Go to Lance’s room_

The thought was so fond he didn’t even question it and as if a fire was igniting his blood and bones he started running towards the Blue Paladin’s room.

When he reached the hallway where their rooms were he spotted a figure, at the other end of the hallway, rushing towards him with the same force.

“Keith!”

It was Lance, he’d knew that voice among a thousand different ones.

They run towards each other and if Keith hadn’t been so happy he would have commented on the tragically rom-com cliché reunion scene they were enacting.

They met right in front of Lance’s room door, arms wrapping tightly around each other.

They hugged on the spot, silently, and Keith relished in the sound of Lance’s ragged breath on his neck and the vibrations of his crazy fast heartbeat against his chest.

Oh, how he’d missed those sounds.

When they parted Lance’s hands were on his cheeks, his big blue eyes, filled with love and affection more then he remembered, staring straight into his own purplish ones.

“You’re back” he whispered, like he was afraid the Keith in front of him was just a fragile dream that he could shatter if he spoke too loud.

Keith smiled at him, wrapping his hands around Lance’s wrists.

“I’m back” he whispered back.

Then they were kissing, desperately, like their lives depended on it.

Keith’s arms had sneaked around Lance’s waist, while his companion’s hands were warm and sweaty on his cheeks, fingertips hiding in his hair.

Kissing Lance was more than Keith had ever imagined. It was hot and pleasant and scary and yet the most natural thing Keith’s ever done, like every single step and decision throughout his life had been meant to bring him there kissing Lance.

They were hungry for each other and as soon as one of them would pull apart to breathe the other would chase his lips to kiss again.

Lance led them inside his room, towards the bed they’d slept on countless of times.

They stopped kissing and Keith felt Lance’s hands on his back, looking for the zipper of his suit.

He forced him to remove his hands when he tried to remove Lance’s jacket, making him stop to take it off and properly hang it before he was back on his zipper.

When he pulled it down Keith felt his warm hands caress his spine, sending chills of pleasure through his body as his fingertips caressed his cold skin like feathers.

He moaned, pulling Lance closer as he sneaked his cold hands under his shirt, tracing his abs, then his hips, then his spine, up, all the way to the shoulder blades, moaning against the warm touch of Lance’s hands against his skin.

“Take it off” he whispered and Keith shivered in pleasure “Take it off for me”

He removed himself from the embrace to take his suit off, letting it slid off his arms and pushing it down his legs. At the same time Lance had took off his shirt and was pushing down his jeans.

As soon as they were both down to their underwear they were back to kiss each other, hands now free to roam wherever they wished.

Lance pushed Keith on the back, gently, and as he laid back properly on the mattress he moved on top of him, pressing as much of their bodies was possible against each other.

Keith look up into Lance’s blue eyes, searching for an answer to his silent question.

What he found in those eyes were love and affection, the same feelings he’d seen when they first reunited.

Their bodies were flushed and hot, their minds clouded with lust and the desire to just get down to it was driving them both crazy, but Keith knew, just from those eyes, that it wasn’t just sex.

_It’s not your body I want_ , they seemed to say. _I want all of you_.

And Keith wanted to give it to him, he would give his all to Lance.

Because he knew Lance would give his all right back at him.

Their underwear were discarded and the touches turned burning; Keith could feel every inch of skin that Lance touched burn like his fingers were on fire. His mouth was on his neck, sucking and biting, marking him. Keith’s hands were gripping Lance’s back, caressing his shoulder blades, pulling his body closer as his hips jerked up to grind on him. Lance moaned, grinding back down and biting harder on his neck.

Keith was losing it, his own moans mixed with Lance’s and the boiling feeling in the pit of his stomach were almost too much.

He called Lance’s name, voice breathy, and hoped the message would get across.

It did, it always did. Lance could read him like no one else could.

In his hazy state Keith didn’t notice how lube and condoms got into the equation, he only knew there was a finger inside him, gently prodding his walls until the slight discomfort vanished and one finger became two, scissoring him open, and then three, prodding and pushing deep against his prostate.

He asked for more, arching his back to meet the thrust of Lance’s finger inside him, and the Blue Paladin complied, slowly removing his fingers to put on the condom, lube himself some more and gently, slowly, pushing inside Keith.

Every inch that slid inside burned and hurt, and when it was in all the way Keith gripped Lance’s shoulders, digging his nails in the flesh.

As they waited for the pain to subside Lance kissed his face, from his forehead, his nose, his cheeks, his jaw, his hands gently rubbing his hips as he grinded some.

When Keith felt ready he looked into Lance’s blue eyes and nodded. The other got the message, and with a smile and a soft kiss on his nose he started thrusting.

The pain was gone and now all Keith felt was a thick heat slowly tearing him from the inside, prodding everywhere, nice and gentle.

Keith jerked his hips against Lance, to try and make him understand that he didn’t want it slow and gentle, he wanted it fast and rough.

The gentle pace Lance had set was maddening, the pleasure too much and not enough at the same time.

“Lance” he breathed between moans “Please, _harder_ ”

As if he’d been waiting for him to actually say it (which would make sense, had Keith’s mind not been clouded by pleasure), Lance obliged him, thrusting hard and deep inside him, hitting his prostate with dead precision.

He wasn’t the team sharpshooter for nothing.

Keith’s moans got louder and in his attempt to hold onto something he scratched Lance’s back. The scratches only made him moan louder and thrust harder and Keith’s hazy mind though it was _hot_.

He could feel his orgasm approaching, the feeling boiling in his stomach and in his hips; Lance had started stroking him in time with his thrusts.

“L- _ah-_ nce, I’m _ah_ close”

“Me too Keith” he whispered, softly. “Stop holding back, baby. _Let go_ ”

And that was it.

The physical pleasure was overwhelming, Lance’s voice a soft, comforting sound in his sex-clouded mind.

He was telling him to let go, to feel, to stop thinking so much about everything.

That it was fine to fall because he would be there to catch him.

So he did. He let himself _feel_ every single place where their skins were touching, the barely there pain on his neck from the love bites, the warm pressure of Lance’s hand on his cock and the burning pleasure of Lance’s own cock deep inside him.

He came with a loud cry, arching his back and jerking his hips to meet Lance’s final thrusts as he came as well.

Breath ragged and sweat on their skin, they stared into each other’s eyes as the post-orgasmic high subsided.

Then Lance pulled out, carefully removed the condom and got up to throw it away and clean his cum-stained hand.

When he came back, as soon as he was lying on the mattress, Keith rolled on top of him, kissing and sucking and biting his neck.

Lance moaned at the attention, then took Keith’s face in his hands and looked in his eyes, laughing softly.

“Wanna go for round two?”

Keith smiled back at him, his purplish eyes full of love.

“You bet I do”

 

They went three rounds in the end, high on the adrenaline and the excitement of the battle and their reunion.

With their libido back in check they resolved themselves to cuddle just like they used to, with Lance on his back and Keith tucked on his side, held close by an arm around his shoulders.

They laid silently, simply relishing in each other’s presence.

Nuzzling Lance’s collarbone and placing a gentle kiss on one of the hickeys he’d left there, Keith sighed contentedly.

“I missed this” he said, softly, lazily tracing patterns on Lance’s skin.

“You mean you missed cuddling with me?” he asked, laughing

“Yes”

“Oh”

He clearly wasn’t expecting that answer, if the seriousness of his tone was any indicator.

“I missed everyone, to be honest, and everything that was here on the castle. Every noise, every tiny little quirk you guys have… I would be lying if I said there are things I didn’t actually miss, but I don’t regret any of my choices. I don’t regret leaving, Lance. I’d do it again. But I needed it, I needed to make that experience”

He took Lance’s hand his and kissed its back, then he entwined their fingers, pressing their palms together.

“Did you find what you where looking for then?” Lance asked.

“Yes”

“And?”

Keith looked up, meeting his blues eyes, so filled with love and hope.

He smiled.

“And I’m not leaving again. Team Voltron is my home. _You_ are my home”

Lance smiled back.

“That’s what I wanted to hear” he said and then leaned down to kiss him, soft and gentle and full of promises.

“Thanks for supporting me even though you didn’t understand it. It really meant a lot to me” Keith said when they pulled apart, lips still only inches apart.

“I’ll always support you, Keith. So long as you don’t try to sacrifice yourself again”

Keith sighed.

“Matt told you?”

“He did. He told everyone what you did. Keith, I beg you, please, never do something like that again”

He smiled playfully.

“Can’t promise anything, you know I’m a hot-head” he said, chuckling.

Lance groaned.

“You’re gonna be the end of me, pretty boy. I can tell” and smiled as well.

The stayed silent for a while more.

“Lance?”

“Mm? What is it?”

“Why isn’t anyone coming to look for us?”

Lance blushed.

“Oh, mm, well, I may have, uhm, told everyone not to look for us unless they wanted to walk in on something embarrassing”

Keith blushed too.

“So you basically told everyone we would be fucking?”

Lance squealed.

“No! I- That’s not what I was expecting! Honestly, I was expecting a very emotional reunion with lots of feelings and tears and I just… I didn’t want to share that moment. I deserved that moment with you” he said, smiling softly, bringing Keith’s hand to his lips to kiss his knuckles.

“Plus I imagined you wouldn’t want to have everyone see you cry once you saw me”

Keith snorted.

“You are an idiot, you know that?”

“Tell me something you’ve never told me”

“I love you, Lance”

His eyes widened in surprise.

“What?”

“You asked for something I never told you. I love you. I’ve never told you that”

Lance smiled softly at him, letting go of his hand to gently cradle his cheek.

“Want to hear something I’ve never told you either?”

Keith nodded, a fond smile on his face.

“I love you too, Keith”

**Author's Note:**

> That was the longest shit I've ever wrote. I am quite satisfied with how it turned out.  
> That's it, I think I've bored you enough as it is.  
> Oh, yeah, I checked this but I just _know_ there are going to be typos and mistakes that escaped me; so if you notice something feel free to tell me.  
>  One more thing: Happy Birthday Keith, my awkward son.  
> Thanks for reading, leave some feedback if you want~!  
> See you~!
> 
> (If you want to yell at me or something just look for @Lady_Firiel on Twitter. If you find a lot of complaining and Italian then you've found me)


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